WITH all the excitement of Christmas, it’s easy to skimp on sleep.
You might feel like you are being pulled in every direction but you really should make a consistent sleep schedule your priority.
A good night’s rest helps keep your immune system strong and your mood jolly – because, let’s face it, we can all become a bit of a Scrooge when we feel sleep-deprived.
Check your diary and map out the next few weeks, marking out rest days when you can treat yourself to the joy of a Christmas film and a hot chocolate.
On the other hand, if you feel particularly lonely or low at this time of year, reach out – whether it be to an old friend or a professional.
Many communities host festive events, such as carol singing.
Age UK’s Silver Line Helpline provides friendship to older people and is available round the clock on 0800 4 70 80 90.
Here’s a selection of what readers have asked me this week . . .
Q: DESPITE a normal colonoscopy recently, I am worried about tummy symptoms.
The issue that bothers me most is excess gas, which I definitely have more of than other people – and it’s embarrassing.
A: I get asked about this a lot and it’s something plenty of people worry about needlessly.
Firstly, please be assured that flatulence – known commonly as farting – is totally normal and nothing to worry about.
We all do it and anyone who says they don’t is either lying or unaware of it because maybe they hold it until they go to the toilet or they might do it while they sleep.
Flatulence comes from gas leaving the gastrointestinal tube, and there are certain foods that can increase the frequency and smell.
Spicy foods, beans and vegetables such as sprouts and cabbage have been found to increase flatulence – and while a diet high in fibre is absolutely great for our health, it can mean more gas.
It’s completely normal for farts not to smell or to smell strongly.
It depends on the person, what they have eaten and their individual microbiome – that’s the community of bacteria and other microbes that live inside our digestive tract and help us digest certain nutrients, especially those from fibre-rich foods.
It’s worth noting that if there’s a change in your flatulence that persists and is also accompanied by other symptoms, such as tummy ache, bloating, diarrhoea, constipation or changes to bowel habit, it’s important to get it checked out as it could be a symptom of an underlying condition.
It sounds like you’ve had some reassurance from having the normal camera test to look at the large bowel.
But if symptoms worry you, or are changing, there’s no harm in having a further review with your GP to consider if other investigations are needed.
Q: I AM a terrible sufferer of body dysmorphia.
This adds to my already diagnosed anxiety and depression.
I am a 31-year-old man and feel I have no help.
One of my biggest mental health issues is excess body hair.
I get a haircut and shave my body hair every three weeks.
I just believe I look abnormal, inhuman and gorilla-like.
It has led to me crying my eyes out on numerous occasions.
I have spoken to my GP and I don’t seem to be getting any luck.
Is laser hair removal available on the NHS?
A: Thank you so much for writing in, it must have taken a lot of courage.
The severity of body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) varies from person to person but can cause feelings of shame, loneliness, guilt and isolation as well as lead to conditions like OCD and eating disorders.
To answer your specific question, laser hair removal is not available on the NHS.
But as you have mentioned, the root cause here is a mental health issue.
The correct way to approach this is to treat the BDD.
Treatment can be psychological in the form of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and sometimes SSRI antidepressant medication alongside CBT is advised.
You do say you’ve got anxiety and depression, so I wonder if you’re already taking antidepressants?
If your BDD hasn’t been formally diagnosed this is the first step, then getting treatment.
There are also specialist services available through the community-based mental health team so chat to your GP to see what you can access.
Charities including the Body Dysmorphic Disorder Foundation, OCD Action and OCD-UK can help with resources and support too.
In the short-term, self-help tools could make a difference.
Celebrate your successes, no matter how small.
Accept compliments and give yourself them – they don’t have to be appearance-related.
Write a list of things you like about yourself, too.
Ultimately, please seek help with the BDD and while it may feel hard to believe right now, your perception about your body hair may change.
SUPERMARKETS have towering displays of tubs of chocolate on every aisle end at this time of the year as we build up to Christmas.
But there are also healthy seasonal foods in store – think clementines, nuts, pomegranates and kiwis.
So aim for some balance this festive season.
Q: I AM a 73-year-old man who, for the past year or so, has been having a terrible burning sensation in my stomach whether I’m eating or not.
I get it when I drink water. What is the cause?
A: It sounds like you’re describing dyspepsia – which are symptoms associated with indigestion.
Dyspepsia is the medical term that describes pain, discomfort and several other symptoms that can come from the upper gut.
The exact cause is sometimes unclear but symptoms include bloating, feeling sick, belching, feeling full quickly after eating and vomiting.
Heartburn and waterbrash – the feeling when you have a bitter liquid in the back of your mouth – are also signs.
It can be caused by gastric ulcers, inflammation of the stomach and duodenum, acid reflux, and a hiatus hernia – where the top part of the stomach comes through the diaphragm into the lower chest.
Some medications can make dyspepsia more likely (especially anti-inflammatory painkillers, steroids, some antibiotics and antidepressants).
And then there’s H. pylori, a type of bacteria that can infect the lining of the stomach and affect the amount of acid produced in the stomach.
This can be tested for and treated with a course of antibiotics.
It’s important to mention that unexplained weight loss or difficulty swallowing alongside dyspepsia warrants an urgent referral to rule out cancer as a cause.
You don’t mention whether you’ve altered your lifestyle at all but if not, there are changes you can make.
Regular, smaller meals, not smoking, not drinking alcohol, avoiding caffeine and spicy foods, and losing weight if you’re overweight can help.
Stress is a very common trigger of dyspepsia symptoms too.
Antacids are an over-the-counter option but if symptoms persist longer than a couple of weeks you should see your GP who can assess you fully and consider if tests are advisable.
It’s worth avoiding eating late at night too and if you haven’t already, keep a diary to see if certain foods make the condition worse.
